U.S. Women's Update for Dec. 9

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 9, 2010) – The current U.S. Women's National Team Weekly update released on Dec. 9 includes briefs on U.S. players competing overseas and other team news.

SYKORA NAMED USAV FEMALE INDOOR ATHLETE OF YEAR: Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) has been named the USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year for 2010 and has been nominated for the United States Olympic Committee SportsWoman of the Year. Sykora, a three-time Olympian with the U.S. Women’s Olympic Volleyball Team, capped her season by earning Best Libero at the FIVB Women’s World Championship in which the U.S. finished fourth. She averaged 7.13 digs and excellent receptions per set at the World Championship, which was 0.93 higher than the second-place finisher in the category. In addition, Sykora produced 4.85 digs per set in the World Championship to lead the Best Digger category by over 1.30 digs per set than the second-best digger. “What an honor,” Sykora said. “First and foremost, I would like to thank USA Volleyball for putting up with me all of these years. I honestly believe that individual awards can never be achieved without a great support system. I have been fortunate enough to have had great teammates, coaches, family and friends aside me down this long journey of a career. I feel very honored to be named USA Volleyball SportsWoman of the Year. Thank you very much.” For the full press release, click here.

BERG, AH MOW-SANTOS HONORED: Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Lindsey Berg, both from Honolulu, have been voted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame as announced on Dec. 6. The induction ceremony will March 1 at the Honolulu Country Club. Ah Mow-Santos, a three-time Olympian for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, attended McKinley High School in Honolulu before moving on to the University of Hawaii and the National Team. Berg was a standout at Punahou High School and went on to star at University of Minnesota in college before joining the National Team. Both were members of the silver-medal winning 2008 U.S. Olympic Games roster.

WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM OPEN TRYOUTS: USA Volleyball will hold its annual open tryouts for the U.S. Women’s National Team and Associated Training Programs Feb. 25-27, 2011, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon will lead the evaluation process for the tryout, which is open to current college-age athletes and older, as well as high school athletes born in 1993 or earlier. All tryout participants must be U.S. citizens and are required to provide proof of valid health insurance coverage upon their arrival at the tryout. The online tryout registration, which must be completed by Jan. 13, 2011, can be found by clicking here. Upon confirmation of registration, tryout participants will receive and must complete additional USOTC forms to be fully enrolled in the tryout. For the complete details on the tryout, click here.

AKINRADEWO FINALIST FOR USSA FEMALE ATHLETE OF YEAR: Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) is one of 12 female athletes vying for the United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year. During the year, she was named the most valuable player at the FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. captured the gold medal. To vote, click here.

BERG, HODGE WITH VILLA CORTESE IN ITALY: U.S. Women’s National Team setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) are competing for MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese in the Italian Serie A league during the 2010-11 professional club season. To open the regular season, Villa Cortese topped Chateau d’Ax Urbino Volley 25-17, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20 on Nov. 28. Berg set her squad to a 38 kill percent while adding three individual points. Hodge came off the bench in all four sets and pocketed three points with two kills on five attacks and a block. Villa Cortese won its second match in as many matches by defeating Rebecchi NOrdmeccanica Piacenza 23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-17 on Dec. 5. Berg paced the offense to a 43 kill percent for the match. Hodge started the first set and subbed in the final two sets as she contributed six kills on 15 attacks and a block. Villa Cortese continues Italian Serie A league on Dec. 12 against Despar Perugia. In addition to Serie A action, Villa Cortese is competing in the CEV Champions League Pool D first round and are 2-0 in the early stages. The side defeated Poland’s Organika Budowlani LODZ 25-19, 25-17, 16-25, 25-15 on Nov. 23. Hodge was a reserve in all four sets and scored six kills on 13 errorless attacks. Berg set the team to a 47 kill percent. In its second Champions League match, Villa Cortese swept Czech Republic’s VK Modranska Prostejov 25-19, 25-23, 30-28. Hodge started all three sets compiling 12 points on nine kills, two blocks and an ace. Berg added three points and helped the squad to a 39 kill percent from her setter position. Villa Cortese returned to Champions League action on Dec. 9 but lost a tough five-set match (25-22, 18-25, 20-25, 25-13, 20-18. The same two teams meet again on Dec. 15.

BOWN WITH TURKEY’S ECZACIBASI: Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.), a three-time Olympic Games middle blocker for the U.S. Women’s National Team, is competing in Turkey for Eczacibasi during the 2010-11 professional club season. In addition to the Turkish League, Eczacibasi is embroiled in the CEV Champions League and has won its first two matches. Bown tallied four kills on eight errorless attempts, four blocks and three aces for 11 points as Eczacibasi won its Champions League opener in four sets over Volero Zurich in Pool C action of the first round. She scored nine kills on 16 attempts and added three blocks and two aces for 15 points in a four-set win over CV Jamper Aguere La Laguna on Dec. 1. In a Dec. 8 match, Eczacibasi swept Asptt Mulhouse with Bown scoring seven points. In the Turkish League, Eczacibasi is 3-0 and will play Konya on Dec. 12 in its next match.

SCOTT-ARRUDA IN BRAZIL WITH SAO BERNARDO: Four-time U.S. Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) is back on the volleyball court after giving birth this spring and is playing for BMG Sao Bernardo in the Brazilian Superliga. After not playing in the season opener, Scott-Arruda started the second contest scoring three points in a four-set loss to Unilever on Dec. 3.

SYKORA, ALISHA GLASS SETTING TABLES FOR VOLEI FUTURO IN BRAZIL: Three-time U.S. Olympian Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) and U.S. Women’s National Team setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) are competing for Volei Futuro in the Brazilian Superliga during the 2010-11 professional club season. The squad’s first official match of the first round is on Dec. 10 against Bru Sque, followed by contests against Usiminas Minas on Dec. 15. Prior to the start of the Superliga, Volei Futuro got defeated BMG Sao Bernardo 3-0 and 3-2 in the semifinal round of the Paulista Championship before losing to Pinheiros in the final round.

FAWCETT IN BRAZIL WITH USIMINAS MINAS: Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), a U.S. Women’s National Team opposite, is playing the 2010-11 professional club season in Brazil with Usiminas Minas. On Dec. 4, she contributed 17 points with 13 kills on 32 attacks, three blocks and an ace in helping her squad to a 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-15 victory over Banana Boat/Praia Clube.

LARSON WITH KAZAN IN RUSSIA: U.S. Women’s National Team outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) is playing for Dinamo Kazan of the Russia Super League during the 2010-2011 pro club season. Her squad is currently 4-0 to start the season. Kazan looks to remain undefeated when it challenges Leningradka on Dec. 12.

BARBOZA IN RUSSIA WITH KRASNODAR: Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.), an outside hitter for the U.S. Women’s National Team, is competing for Dinamo Krasnodar of the Russia Super League in the 2010-11 professional club season. In her first match with the squad, she compiled 11 kills and three aces for 14 points as a reserve in all three sets during a 25-22, 25-23, 25-17 sweep over Odintsovo on Nov. 28. In a starting role on Dec. 5, Barboza scored six kills and eight overall points as her team lost to league favorite Dinamo Moscow 25-23, 25-22, 25-18. Krasnodar, now 3-1 on the season and in fifth place, returns to the court on Dec. 12 against Torch.

HARMOTTO WITH LIU-JO VOLLEY MODENA IN ITALY: U.S. Women’s National Team middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) is playing for LIU-JO Volley Modena in Italy’s Serie A League during the 2010-11 professional club season. In a starting role, she scored nine kills on 15 attempts to go with four aces for 13 points in helping her squad to a 25-23, 25-18, 25-18 victory over Despar Perugia in the league opener on Nov. 28. In the table’s second weekend, LIU-JO Volley Modena defeated Norda Foppapedretti Bergamo 25-16, 25-18, 25-21 on Dec. 5 as Harmotto contributed 11 points on six kills via eight attacks, four blocks and an ace. Harmotto’s side is one of four undefeated teams in the 12-team Serie A table through the first two weekends.

KIM GLASS WITH RABITA BAKU IN AZERBAIJAN: Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.), a 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist with the U.S. Women’s National Team, is competing for Rabita Baku of the Azerbaijan professional league in 2010-11. During the CEV Champions League, Rabita Baku is in Pool of the main phase of the tournament. Glass scored 10 kills on 25 swings to go with three aces and two blocks as Rabita Baku won its first Champions League match in three sets over Romania’s Dinamo Romprest Bucharest on Nov. 24. She added four points in a reserve role as Rabita Baku defeated Italian powerhouse Scavolini Pesaro in four sets on Dec. 2. Rabita Baku continued Champions League action on Dec. 9, but lost a heart-breaking five-set match to Poland Aluprof Bielsko-Biala. Glass turned in 10 points in the match despite starting only the second, third and fifth sets. The two teams will meet again on Dec. 12.

SPICER WITH POLAND’S GCB CENTROSTAL BYDGOSZCZ: Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.), a setter for the U.S. Women’s National Team, is competing in the Polish professional league this winter. In the team’s opening match of league play, she started in a three-set loss to ATOM Trefl Sopot on Dec. 5. The team returns to action on Dec. 11 against AZS Bialystok.

MORRISON, SIX AMERICANS ON ONE AUSTRIAN TEAM: U.S. Women’s National Team Assistant Coach Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) is serving as head coach of the Austrian Post Schwechat team during the 2010-11 season. The team has six American players including Jill Collymore (Seattle), Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.), Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii), Angie Pressey (Lake Mary, Fla.) and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.). Post Schwechat has won all seven of its matches in the Middle European Volleyball Zonal Association (teams from Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia) and is in second place despite being the only undefeated team. The side’s next league match is Dec. 11 against Bratislava. The squad opened the CEV Cup Round of 16 on Dec. 8 with a 25-20, 28-26, 25-21 victory against Serbia’s Vizura Beograd. Pressey and Crimes started in the match and provided 14 and 10 points, respectively, while Jones added nine points. Thompson was the starting setter and helped the teams to a 56 kill percent (50-of-90). Miyashiro turned in a 62 positive reception percent as the libero. The teams will have the second match of the home-and-home series on Dec. 16.

AZERBAIJAN SUPER LEAGUE FULL OF AMERICANS: The Azerbaijan Super League has a handful of Americans playing in the league. 2008 U.S. Olympic Games silver medalist Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) plays for Lokomotiv Baku with 2004 Olympic Games member Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) and Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah). Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), a 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist, is competing for Azerrail Baku with Angie McGinnis and Cheryl Weaver. Two-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) is playing for Igtisadchi Baku. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.), a 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist, is playing for Rabita Baku. Ashley Engle plays for Baki. In the second round of the league, Baki defeated Shirvan in three sets, Igtisadchi topped Lokomotiv in three sets and Rabita came back to defeat Azerrail. For more details on Round two, click here. In the opening round, McGinnis set Azerrail to a sweep of Baki with three kills and a block. Haneef-Park scored a team-high 11 points in a loss to Rabita. Richards scored 26 points with 23 kills on 50 swings and three blocks while Metcalf tallied 11 points in a five-set loss to Shirvan. Davis handled 38 of the team’s 104 service receptions in the match. For details on Round one, click here.